


they don't deserve you

by givebackmylifecas



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fire Fam - Freeform, Happy Ending, M/M, Protective Carlos, Season/Series 02, someone needs to tell owen he's a dick okay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-15 02:54:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29677314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/givebackmylifecas/pseuds/givebackmylifecas
Summary: “Actually,” Carlos says pointedly. “TK’s been sober a year today so we thought we’d celebrate to let him know how proud we all are of him.”Owen freezes, his face falling. “TK, I’m so sorry I just –”“Forgot,” TK finishes for him. “It’s alright, I get it.”Owen forgets about TK's sobriety anniversary, Carlos is pissed.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Comments: 48
Kudos: 496





	they don't deserve you

**Author's Note:**

> no TWs just references to TK's sobriety

Carlos whistles as he walks into the 126 station house, a box with the cake he’d just picked up from a vegan bakery held carefully out in front of him. When TK had told him last week – mumbled about it just before they were going to bed, that is – that today was his one year anniversary of sobriety, Carlos knew he wanted to show his boyfriend how proud he and the rest of his friends and family are.

So Carlos had texted Paul who had texted Marjan who had set up a group chat and added everyone in the firehouse and they’d organised a surprise party for TK – barring any emergency calls that is.

Except when Carlos walks into the station kitchen, he finds Paul, Marjan, Judd, and Mateo all sitting about looking subdued and not at all ready for a party.

“Hey guys, what’s going on?” he asks, setting the cake down on the counter. “Where’s TK?”

“Bunkroom,” Marjan says.

Carlos frowns. “In the middle of the day? Why?”

Judd shakes his head. “He and his dad uh… They didn’t exactly have a fight.”

“Because a fight would mean the Cap noticed something was wrong,” Paul says, holding up his hands when everyone turns to look at him. “What? It’s the truth.”

“The Cap, well, he and Gwyn are having issues so he’s been a bit distracted,” Judd explains.

“And then when they came in this morning, we were all congratulating TK on his sobriety…” Marjan pulls a face. “Well, the Cap didn’t say anything at all because he was on his phone the whole time.”

“The way TK looked at him, just waiting for him to speak – it was really sad,” Mateo says.

“He’s in the bunk room?” Carlos asks and Judd nods.

“Yeah, come on, I’ll take you. He’s been in there with the dog all morning. Wouldn’t even come out for coffee.”

Carlos sighs and follows Judd out of the kitchen and up the stairs towards the bunk room.

“I don’t know what’s been going on between Owen and TK lately, but honestly I think the Cap needs to get his head out of his ass,” Judd says and Carlos nods.

“Oh, I agree,” he says. “Maybe I’ll have a word with him.”

Judd snorts. “Yeah that’ll go down well, TK’s boyfriend yelling at his old man.”

“Well, someone has to do something,” Carlos says.

“Don’t I know it. He’s in the last one on the right, go get your boy.”

Judd leaves after pointing out the bunk TK is in and Carlos quietly lets himself into the room. Sure enough, TK is curled up in bed with the sheets pulled up over his head, Buttercup pressed against his side.

“I told you, I don’t want coffee or tea or whatever beverage you’ve brought with you, Judd,” TK says, voice muffled by the sheets.

Carlos perches on the end of the bed, patting where he assumes TK’s legs are. “I don’t have any drinks and I’m not Judd, tiger. Sorry to disappoint.”

There’s some rustling and then TK’s head emerges from under the blankets, hair looking adorably mussed.

“Carlos?” he asks. “What are you doing here?”

“Well,” Carlos says. “Today’s a special day for you and I had sort of planned something with everyone here to celebrate it.”

“You planned something? For me?” TK asks, eyes wide. “Just because of –”

“Hey,” Carlos interrupts. “It’s not ‘just’ anything. This is a big deal, babe. I’m so proud of you.”

TK looks suspiciously like he wants to cry before he throws himself into Carlos’ arms, nearly knocking them both off the bed. Carlos lets TK kiss him, deep and a little desperate, before pulling away, a gentle hand on the back of his neck.

“You okay? The others told me about your dad.”

TK sighs. “I guess. It’s just… it’s a lot with him at the moment. He’s just focussed on the new baby and working things out with mom and I’m really trying not to be jealous or petty but sometimes it just gets to me. And my mom’s no better. She’s not said anything about me becoming a paramedic or my sobriety. Nothing.”

“I’m sorry,” Carlos says because sometimes that’s all he can say. “Is there anything I can do?”

“No,” TK says, letting out a puff of air. “I’m just glad I’ve got you, baby.”

“And Paul and Marjan and Mateo – and definitely Judd,” Carlos reminds him. “He was ready to kick your dad’s ass earlier. I’m actually kind of afraid that he’ll kick my ass if I even think about doing anything to hurt you.”

TK laughs, eyes crinkling. “Yeah he probably would – or he’d get Grace to do it.”

Carlos feigns a shudder. “Now that would be scary.”

TK grins again and Carlos kisses the expression off his face.

“Now, not that I’m not tempted to just crawl into bed with you, but I did bring cake and you have a year of sobriety to celebrate,” he says and TK’s smile softens.

“Well I do like cake,” he says and Carlos laughs.

“You better,” he threatens TK. “I drove all the way across town to get a vegan chocolate cheesecake you know.”

TK looks delighted and Carlos climbs off the bed, dragging TK up with him. He waits while TK pulls on his boots and then throws an arm around his shoulders, smiling when TK wraps his own arm around Carlos’ waist, pulling him close.

They make their way down to the kitchen, still wrapped around each other and Carlos squeezes TK’s shoulders when the others immediately cheer upon seeing them. They’ve unpacked the cake and set out plates as if they knew it would only be a matter of time before Carlos returned with TK.

“Congratulations!” they cheer and TK smiles, turning to bury his face in Carlos’ shoulder.

“Uh-uh, none of that,” Marjan says. “We’re proud of you, let us be proud.”

“Thanks, guys, it means a lot,” TK says and five seconds later he’s being dragged into a group hug.

Carlos smiles as he watches his boyfriend with his family. Judd lets go of TK and saunters over to Carlos, leaning next to him on the counter.

“You’re good for him,” he says, watching the group hug which has somehow descended into a play fight between Marjan, TK, Paul, and Mateo.

Carlos shrugs. “We’re good for each other.”

“Yeah,” Judd drawls, drawing out the word. “But I’m glad he’s got someone to look out for him.”

“Me too,” Carlos says, pointedly looking at Judd who flushes.

“Alright, stop acting like a pack of wolves and come get some cake,” Judd calls, striding over to separate the others.

Marjan grins from where she’s sitting on top of Paul’s chest, her legs propped on TK’s head. “It was just getting interesting,” she complains, climbing off them.

“Yeah for you,” Mateo grumbles. “You were winning.”

“She always wins, Probie,” Paul points out, pulling TK to his feet and shoving him in the direction of the cake.

TK easily slots himself under Carlos’ waiting arm, gesturing for Judd to go ahead and cut the cake. Tommy and Nancy join them – claiming to have sniffed out the food, although Carlos thinks they probably just heard the insane amount of noise the others were making.

“Oh my god,” Mateo says when everyone has a slice and is tucking in. “This is vegan?”

“You know it, Probie,” TK says with a grin. “Everyone thank my boyfriend for finding the best vegan bakery in Austin.”

Carlos shakes his head, pressing a kiss to TK’s cheek. “No need to thank me, especially when we’re celebrating you.”

“You two are disgusting,” Marjan laughs.

“You haven’t seen anything yet,” Paul says deadpan and Carlos chucks a napkin at him.

The table descends into comfortable chaos again, with Judd staring at the ceiling and loudly asking God for help while Mateo tries to steal more cake off Marjan’s plate and nearly gets stabbed for it.

“Well, what’s going on here?”

They look up to see Owen standing at the table, phone in hand, an amiable if confused smile on his face. There’s an awkward moment where no one speaks, but then Judd breaks the silence.

“Not much Captain, just enjoying the cake Carlos brought over to celebrate TK.”

Owen blinks, looking between Judd and TK. “Celebrate TK? Well, I suppose he’s been a paramedic a few weeks so it’s about time.”

Beside him, TK draws in a hurt breath and Carlos wraps a protective arm around him.

“Actually,” Carlos says pointedly. “TK’s been sober a year today so we thought we’d celebrate to let him know how proud we all are of him.”

Owen freezes, his face falling. “TK, I’m so sorry I just –”

“Forgot,” TK finishes for him. “It’s alright, I get it.”

“I’m sorry,” Owen says again. “Hey, how about your mother and I take you out for dinner tonight? Make it a family celebration?”

TK shakes his head guiltily. “I’m going out with Carlos and Paul.”

“Oh,” Owen says, looking disappointed. “TK, I really am sorry. I’ve just been so busy, everything with your mother – and preparing to be a father. It’s just a lot of stress I hadn’t anticipated.”

TK opens his mouth, probably to say something forgiving, but Carlos cuts in.

“With all due respect, Captain. You’re already a father,” he says stiffly. Across from him, Marjan’s eyebrows shoot halfway up her face and Paul sucks in a sharp breath. “And I think TK has spent too much time being picked up, then set back down again and forgotten about for his own father to do the same thing.”

Underneath the table, TK is clutching at his knee and Carlos covers his hand with his own. Owen gapes, looking around the table. Most of them avoid his gaze, but Tommy raises her eyebrows challengingly and Judd shrugs.

“He’s not wrong, Captain,” he says and Owen’s shoulders slump.

“You’re right, Carlos,” he admits before turning to TK. “I’m sorry, son. Not just for forgetting today, but for the way I’ve been behaving lately. The baby news… it’s changed things for me, but it shouldn’t change things this much. You’ll always be my son and I love you and I’m incredibly proud of you – always have been. I’m sorry I haven’t been doing a decent job of showing you that recently.”

“It’s okay, dad,” TK says, getting up so Owen can hug him. “I know I haven’t made it easy for you.”

“Hey, no,” Owen disagrees immediately. “You haven’t done anything wrong. I’m sorry, TK. I’ll do better.”

“You better,” Carlos mumbles under his breath, and across from him, Paul grins like he knows exactly what he said.

TK pulls himself away from his dad and sits back down next to Carlos, hand immediately finding his. Owen claps Carlos on the shoulder as he passes.

“Thank you, Carlos, for looking out for my son,” he says, rounding the table to take a seat.

“Always,” Carlos says, maybe a bit too sternly because Marjan and Mateo make an ‘oohing’ sound and TK buries his face in Carlos’ shoulder again. He kisses the top of TK’s head, then plasters a smile on his face. “Cake, Captain Strand? It’s vegan.”

“I think if you can tell me off in front of my son and our whole team, you can call me Owen,” the captain replies easily and Carlos flushes. “And I’ll take a slice, it looks great.”

Carlos hands him a plate with a piece of cake on it and Owen accepts it with a pleasant smile. Around them, everyone slowly starts to talk again, the tension seeping out of the room.

“Hey,” TK whispers in his ear, one hand settled back on Carlos’ thigh, though more relaxed this time. “Thank you for that. The fact that you’d call out my dad for me? It means a lot.”

“Oh anytime,” Carlos says and TK smirks.

“To be honest, babe, it was kind of hot.”

Carlos sighs fondly. “You think everything I do is hot though.”

TK laughs. “Because it is. But for real, thank you.”

Carlos kisses him, ignoring the wolf-whistles from Paul and Mateo, and the fact that TK’s dad is sat only a few feet away from them.

At the other end of the table, Judd leans in to speak to Owen. “You know, Cap, if Carlos hadn’t said it, I would’ve. You need to look after your boy better.”

“I know,” Owen says, looking over at where Carlos and TK have their foreheads pressed together, the two of them smiling at each other like they’re the only ones in the room. “But he’s got a lot of people who have his back when I can’t.”

“Don’t you forget it,” Judd says and Owen nods.

“I won’t. Not again.”

**Author's Note:**

> i have feelings about owens... behaviour in the new eps, okay? also there wasn't enough carlos
> 
> anywho i hope you liked this! i'd love kudos/comments or you can come say hi on tumblr ([@hefellfordean](https://hefellfordean.tumblr.com)) or twitter ([@angstypalermo](https://twitter.com/angstypalermo))


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